In this episode of Revenue Room™, Jerry Li shares his hard-won lessons on building, scaling, and thriving in the age of AI. From navigating the leap from startup scrappiness to sustainable scale, to reshaping work and leadership for the next economy, Jerry’s playbook is equal parts visionary and practical.

You’ll learn how to:

• Rethink growth strategies beyond short-term wins
• Lead teams through rapid innovation cycles
• Harness AI without losing the human edge
• Prepare your business for the economy that’s coming next

Whether you’re a founder, operator, or future-focused leader, Jerry’s insights will change how you think about growth, technology, and the future of work.

About Jerry Li

Jerry Li is the CEO and Co-Founder of Gradual, the all-in-one community platform built to turn engagement into insight and scale connection with purpose. Before starting Gradual, he led engineering teams at Amazon and Groupon, focusing on building systems at scale and mentoring emerging leaders. His passion for community took shape through building ELC—the Engineering Leadership Community—which has grown into the world’s largest and most recognized network for engineering leaders and executives. What began as small, in-person gatherings evolved into a global community. During the shift to virtual at the start of the pandemic, the internal tools created to support ELC became the foundation for Gradual. Today, Gradual powers communities for companies like OpenAI, Perplexity, Fiverr, Scale AI, and Siemens. Jerry remains focused on helping organizations build community-led ecosystems that drive growth, deepen relationships, and unlock collective intelligence.

About Heather Holst-Knudsen

Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. She is a seasoned executive with extensive experience in digital transformation, data, and revenue growth. She is a recognized leader and operator in media, marketplaces, events, and adjacent technologies. Heather has a proven track record of leading organizations to achieve customer-centric innovation, revenue growth, and enterprise value creation. As a thought leader, Heather shares her insights on multisided business models under The Revenue Room™. Connect with Heather on LinkedIn.

ABOUT REVENUE ROOM™ CONNECT

Revenue Room™ Connect is a high-trust membership network for growth-minded executives in media, events, data, and B2B platforms. It’s where forward-thinking leaders align around what actually drives revenue—with curated content, peer exchange, and exclusive access to frameworks, events, and executive insights. Join to connect with others solving the same challenges you are. Create your free profile at https://www.revenueroomconnect.com.

ABOUT H2K LABS

H2K Labs is a tech-enabled value creation specialist that helps media, data/information, event, and marketplace businesses accelerate revenue, drive profitability, and fuel enterprise value using data, digi...

In this episode of The Revenue Room™, Pete Pachal, founder of The Media Copilot and longtime tech journalist, joins Heather Holst-Knudsen for a sharp, future-forward conversation on how AI is reshaping the media landscape. From the decline of brand trust to the rise of zero-click content, Pete unpacks the brutal clarity that AI brings—and why it may force media companies to finally prove their real value.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Why AI’s biggest disruption isn’t productivity—it’s radical transparency.
• How zero-click content is changing content discovery and engagement.
• Why media brands must differentiate or risk being buried by algorithms.
• The case for authenticity as the next competitive advantage.
• What tech’s evolution tells us about the future of media.
• How Pete built The Media Copilot to help publishers and marketers navigate the AI transition.
• What it takes to thrive in a world where AI can replicate—but not originate—trust.

About Pete Pachal
Pete Pachal is the founder of The Media Copilot, a consulting and strategy platform for helping media and marketing leaders make sense of AI. He is also a longtime tech journalist, having served in editorial leadership roles at CoinDesk, Mashable, and PCMag. Pete is known for his sharp analysis and ability to demystify emerging technologies in plain language. He’s appeared as a tech expert on The Today Show, CNN, Fox Business, CNBC, and more.

About Heather Holst-Knudsen

Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. She is a seasoned executive with extensive experience in digital transformation, data, and revenue growth. She is a recognized leader and operator in media, marketplaces, events, and adjacent technologies. Heather has a proven track record of leading organizations to achieve customer-centric innovation, revenue growth, and enterprise value creation. As a thought leader, Heather shares her insights on multisided business models under The Revenue Room™. Connect with Heather on LinkedIn.

ABOUT REVENUE ROOM™ CONNECT

Revenue Room™ Connect is a high-trust membership network for growth-minded executives in media, events, data, and B2B platforms. It’s where forward-thinking leaders align around what actually drives revenue—with curated content, peer exchange, and exclusive access to frameworks, events, and executive insights. Join to connect with others solving the same challenges you are. Create your free profile at https://www.revenueroomconnect.com.

ABOUT H2K LABS

H2K Labs is a tech-enabled value creation specialist that helps media, data/information, event, and marketplace businesses accelerate revenue, drive profitability, and fuel enterprise value using data, digi...

In this episode of The Revenue Room™, Samantha Skey, CEO of SHE Media, shares her bold, human-centered take on leadership, AI disruption, and the future of digital publishing. From reframing imposter syndrome as a systemic issue to building a diversified media model grounded in authenticity, Samantha offers a masterclass in leading with courage, clarity, and purpose in a time of massive change.

Key Topics Discussed:

-How Samantha approaches leadership with a focus on ethics, empathy, and long-term impact—not just short-term performance.
-The tension between AI as an operational asset vs. existential threat to publishers.
-Her prediction of a new industry for authenticity verification in content.
-Samantha redefined imposter syndrome as a systemic issue, not a personal flaw.
-A call to redesign environments to be more inclusive of non-traditional leaders.
-SHE Media’s three-pronged business model: owned brands, creator monetization, and immersive brand partnerships.
-The importance of leveraging both quantitative and qualitative inputs to drive business decisions.

About Samantha Skey

About Samantha Skey
Samantha Skey is CEO of SHE Media, a top 10 media company reaching 80 million monthly unique visitors through brands like SheKnows, Flow Space, StyleCaster, Soaps, and TVLine. Acquired by Penske Media Corporation in 2018, SHE Media also operates one of the largest networks of independent lifestyle publishers and creators in the U.S. via the SHE Media Collective, which Skey launched in 2016 to support underrepresented voices.

In 2021, she introduced Meaningful Marketplaces (MMP), helping advertisers scale media buys while supporting premium independent media. That equity-driven mission continued with the 2023 launch of Flow Space, a women’s health platform that won Anthem and Viddy Gold Awards. She also led the debut of SHE Media’s Co-Lab Whole Life Health at SXSW, earning honors from Fierce Pharma and the Anthem Awards.

With over 25 years in digital media and tech, Skey has held leadership roles at CNET, Disney, RecycleBank, and SheKnows. She’s been honored by Ad Age, Folio, and DM News, and serves on the boards of The Ad Council, World Surf League, and Acast. She lives in Princeton with her husband and two children and coaches girls’ lacrosse on weekends.

About Heather Holst-Knudsen

Heather Holst-Knudsen is the founder and CEO of H2K Labs and Revenue Room™ Connect. She is a seasoned executive with extensive experience in digital transformation, data, and revenue growth. She is a recognized leader and operator in media, marketplaces, events, and adjacent technologies. Heather has a proven track record of leading organizations to achieve customer-centric innovation, revenue growth, and enterprise value creation. As a thought leader, Heather shares her insights on multisided business models under The Revenue Room™. Connect with Heather on LinkedIn.

ABOUT REVENUE ROOM™ CONNECT

Revenue Room™ Connect is a high-trust membership network for growth-minded executives in media, events, data, and B2B platforms. It’s where forward-thinking leaders align around what actually drives revenue—with curated content, peer exchange, and exclusive access to frameworks, events, and executive insights. Join to connect with others solving the same challenges you are. Create your free profile at https://www.revenueroomconnect.com.

ABOUT H2K LABS

H2K Labs is a tech-enabled value creation specialist that helps media, data/information, event, and marketplace businesses accelerate revenue, drive profitability, and fuel enterprise value using data, digi...